究竟

Meaning(adverb, noun)

to go to the bottom of a matter; after all; when all is said and done; (in an interrogative sentence) finally; outcome; result

Examples

• 你究竟想去哪儿？

  nǐ jiū jìng xiǎng qù nǎ ér?

  Where exactly do you want to go?

• 这件事究竟是谁做的？

  zhè jiàn shì jiū jìng shì shuí zuò de?

  Who on earth did this?

• 大家都想问个究竟。

  dà jiā dōu xiǎng wèn gè jiū jìng.

  Everyone wants to get to the bottom of it.

Easily confused

• 到底 — Same meaning in questions; 到底 is more colloquial, 究竟 slightly formal. Unrelated to Vietnamese cứu cánh (ultimate aim, last resort).

Written with AI, waiting for a teacher's review.